BY: RIZALIE A. CALIBO
SIQUIJOR, Aug 31(PIA)--The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) handed over checks worth P295,182 and P256,605 for the upgrading of 2Kir Furniture and JH furniture in Siquijor province respectively.
2Kir Furniture is owned by Vicky Suan of San Juan town while JH Furniture is by Elbert Herlao of Sandugan, Larena.
DOST-Siquijor provincial director Engr. Mario de la Peña briefed the beneficiaries on the terms and conditions of the memorandum of agreement (MOA).
De la Peña reminded them to stick with the purchase of the equipment based on the approved proposal and to coordinate with the provincial office from time to time.
They were also reminded to report corresponding receipts of purchased equipment as soon as available for liquidation purposes.
Such activities that are to be monitored during the project implementation are the reporting of production output and income every semester and annual inspection of purchased equipment by DOST Auditing Team, among others.
DOST lauded the furniture entrepreneurs for their successful business operations despite tight competition in the province and their target markets.
They were also encouraged to continue employing local folks and to continuously diversify their products while adopting to the technological intervention through DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP).
Engr. de la Peña told the beneficiaries that the assistance, although handed to them through checks, is not in a type of loan because DOST is not a financial institution.
The beneficiaries were gratitude to DOST for the support it has extended to their businesses. They pledged for their full cooperation during the project implementation. (mbcn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor with reports from Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing/DOST-Siquijor)